Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential and essential for humans. Since these substances belong to the class of essential lipids and are practically not produced in the body, they must be constantly present in the diet of adults and children.

Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the molecule, during any processing, it is either transformed into a more stable omega 6, or takes on the complete formula of a polyunsaturated acid. As a result, there are very few such acids in natural food. The human body is able to secrete omega-3 itself from the completed adipose tissue molecule by fermenting it with lipase, but this only covers the minimum needs of basal metabolism. It is for this reason that the overwhelming majority of the world's population suffers from a lack of omega-3 polyunsaturated acids.

Omega-3 species

The most important omega-3s are three acids, each of which has specific functions:

1. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) - of animal origin, activates the restoration of cell membranes, optimizes the transport of fats in the blood, increases the functions of the immune system, and improves absorption processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) - plant-based, helps to normalize blood pressure and maintain optimal blood cholesterol levels. It is also indispensable in stressful situations, dry skin, alopecia, and splitting of nails. ALA is a building block for the formation of other omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is of animal origin, a component of the gray matter of the brain, cell membranes, retina and male genital organs. In addition, DHA is an indispensable substance for the normal formation and development of the fetal nervous system (source - Wikipedia).

Interesting fact: Having learned that omega-3 polyunsaturated acids are found in olive and linseed oil, many seek to replace the classic sunflower oil with them. However, few people know that under the influence of improper storage (lack of UV protection) and heat treatment, any polyunsaturated acids are transformed into their complete form, which is practically not absorbed by our body, but is broken down into pure energy and instantly locked under the skin under the influence of the insulin reaction.

For all its deficiencies in omega-3, polyunsaturated acid, as well as the more rare form in the form of omega-9, play a critical role in metabolism. In particular, they complement the effects of omega-6 fats on the body and stabilize cholesterol reactions.

What are omega-3 fatty acids for?

Omega-3 creates a whole complex of factors associated with cholesterol transport and the effect of cholesterol on the human body. It plays a key role in nourishing our skin, hair, nails, but most importantly, it is involved in the synthesis of sex hormones, especially testosterone - the main engine of strength progress in CrossFit.

Thanks to omega-3, cholesterol reduces its ability to “stick” to the inner lining of the arteries, which is an excellent prevention of atherosclerosis.

The classic human diet is oversaturated with omega-6 acids, which activate the release of cholesterol from the complete fat molecule, however, without the stabilizer in the form of omega-3, omega-6, along with cholesterol, secretes sticky tails. They are the ones who distinguish bad cholesterol from good. Because of the sticky tails, it cannot reach and transform into hormonal components, instead it just sticks to the vessels, increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes (source - PubMed).

The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be 1 to 6. That is, for 1 g of omega-6 polyunsaturated acid, there should be about 6 g of omega-3 unstable acid.

Effect on the human body

Let's consider in practice how omega-3 fatty acids are useful:

1. Reduction of body fat. Due to the fact that omega-3 acid compensates for the omega-6 excess, at first, when it is taken, the effect of reducing the fat layer is possible. The body secretes fatty deposits to compensate and stabilize omega-3s from its own acids.
2. Reduces the risk of acute vascular accidents. This effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids is due to the ability to reduce the content of low density lipoproteins in the blood and improve myocardial contractility.
3. Changing the structure of the complete fat molecule formula. In this case, even newly acquired subcutaneous fat will have a more fragile shape, which will allow you to burn it faster. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty polyunsaturated acid leads to a decrease in the number of calories per fat molecule, from 9 to 7.5 kcal.
4. Increased testosterone levels by increasing its synthesis in the athlete's body.
5. Eliminate tissue hypoxia. The effect is due to improved oxygen delivery to cells.
6. Direct participation in the formation of eicosanoids. Such tissue hormones are involved in all biochemical reactions in the body.
7. Lubrication of ligaments and joints. Like any other fatty polyunsaturated acid, omega-3 is partially transformed into a complete form, which is involved in the nutrition of ligaments and joint fluid, which significantly reduces the risk of injury during serious and severe complexes.
8. The minimum load on the digestive tract. This allows you to increase your caloric intake by adding significant amounts of new fat. In addition, with a minimal effect of lipase, the body has more resources for the synthesis of protease, which is responsible for breaking down proteins and transporting them to muscle tissues.

Also, omega-3 fatty acids help to improve cognitive functions, immune system activity, skin condition, stabilize psycho-emotional background, decrease tissue insulin resistance (source - scientific journal "International Reviews: Clinical Practice and Health").

How to use

How to take omega-3 fatty acids correctly? First you need to decide on the dosage and source.

Source

The best natural source is sea fish. Flaxseed oil or fish oil capsules are suitable as additives.

Important: do not buy flaxseed oil in stores, since under conditions of improper storage, its benefits for an athlete (and an ordinary person) are practically absent.

Dosage

After you have decided on the source, you need to figure out the dosage. The classic 6: 1: 1 scheme (omega 3-6-9, respectively) is not suitable for everyone. In traditional dietary regimens, fat accounts for about 20 grams of total food per day. Accordingly, 12 of them are omega-3 and the remainder is evenly distributed to other types of polyunsaturated acids, excluding trans fats and fats of the completed complex form.

What to do if you like to eat fried potatoes or eat a lot of pork, and the total amount of fat per day exceeds 60 or even 100 grams? In this case, a regimen is used in which the amount of omega-3 will be at least half of the amount of omega-6.

Since not all fat is absorbed, omega-3 provides exactly such a reaction that all the absorbed fat (about 35% of that obtained with such a diet) goes to the correct biochemical reactions.

Therefore, you choose the dosage in accordance with your diet and calorie content. When eating fat in moderation, try to stick to a 6: 1: 1 formula. With increased - at least 3: 6: 1. However, it is beneficial for your health to cut down on excess fat in your diet.

How to take omega-3s and what is the best time to take it? There are no specific recommendations in this regard. There are only caveats:

1. Do not consume after consuming trans fats. In this case, the omega-3 will only complete the form of adipose tissue, which will increase toxicity as it breaks down further.
2. Do not use on an empty stomach. The fragile molecular structure allows the body to convert triglyceride to glucose with minimal effort, which will reduce the omega-3 effect to zero.
3. Do not mix with carbohydrates. This increases the likelihood that an intense insulin response will send fatty acids directly under your skin.

The optimal solution would be to divide the recommended dosage by 2-3 times (to reduce the load on the gastrointestinal tract) and use it together with transport proteins in order to quickly stabilize the cholesterol response.

What foods contain omega-3

When considering the benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated acid, you need to consider the sources of its production. The traditional diet, taking into account the peculiarities of the national cuisine, often suffers from a lack of omega-3 polyunsaturated acids.

The only exceptions are countries with large fisheries, where fish oil is an element of daily nutrition.

So, the main sources of omega 3 fatty acids that can be found in a store or pharmacy are as follows:

Precautions

For all their benefits, omega-3 polyunsaturated acids have certain restrictions on their use.

Omega-3 intake is not recommended in the following cases:

• concomitant anticoagulant treatment;
• allergy to seafood;
• high blood calcium levels of any etiology;
• diseases of the thyroid gland;
• children under 7 years of age;
• renal / hepatic impairment;
• urolithiasis, cholelithiasis;
• active phase of tuberculosis;
• bleeding;
• varicose veins of the digestive tract;
• exacerbation of gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, erosion;
• blood diseases;
• first trimester of pregnancy;
• condition after surgery.

For a healthy athlete, there are no specific contraindications that could force him to limit himself to the intake of fish oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts or other nutrients that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Conclusions

When discussing the benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids, it is worth mentioning one small feature. While taking fish oil will certainly provide you with tremendous benefits as an athlete, these benefits, including adaptogenic properties, are not at all related to the magic or the effects of omega-3s on the body.

The fact is that we experience a serious lack of this acid in our body, and if it is present, all processes simply normalize. Nevertheless, taking into account the peculiarities of the national cuisine of most countries, taking omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is as much a necessity for a crossfit athlete as drinking protein shakes.

Watch the video: Omega 3 Fatty acids. mechanism of action and health benifits (November 2024).